Shane Roller (left) should be able to take Thiago Tavares down at will. | Dave Mandel/Sherdog.com
Lightweights
Shane Roller vs. Thiago Tavares
Tavares is one of those vaguely recognizable Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, eminently durable, hard to solve and willing to risk himself to go for submissions.
This is a classic wrestler’s edge match, where one guy, Roller, should be able to get the takedowns he seeks. However, he will have to strike a balance between mixing strikes with top control and avoiding putting the crowd to sleep, getting stood up or getting submitted if he overplays his hand.
Roller has decent jiu-jitsu, as well, and should be able to escape from bad positions if caught there. Neither guy is a killer on his feet, so this match will likely involve plenty of clinches, throw attempts and muscling against the cage. That is Roller’s kind of fight.
The Pick: If one surprising red flag exists in Roller’s game, it is that he has fatigued in the third round of some of his bouts, often dropping his hands and looking exhausted. Still, with his continued development, he should have that squared away. Here, Roller pushes out to a competitive but clear-cut decision.
Continue Reading » Next Fight: Mizugaki vs. Duran